A Meal Served Cold
by Balin Lord of Moria
Summary: Drabble novelization of Police Quest 2: The Vengeance. Jessie Bains tries to get revenge on all those who helped put him in jail. Spoilers if you haven't played the game. Rated T for violence, some profanity, and a little sensuality.
1. Detective Sonny Bonds

**_Detective Sonny Bonds_**

* * *

A year had passed since Police Officer Sonny Bonds tracked down and apprehended Jessie Bains, the "Death Angel," and put him in prison. Lytton had gone back to being a quiet and peaceful town with little worry about crimes as it continued to grow and expand like a weed.

Sonny had been promoted to the position of Homicide detective in the police force, and had a new partner, his old friend, Keith Robinson.

Sonny was now arriving at the police station for another routine day of policing the fair town and it's citizens. Or so it seemed.


	2. A Cold Surprise

_**A Cold Surprise**_

* * *

Upon arrival in the police station's parking lot, Sonny took his LPD business card to remind himself of his locker combination. He got out of his personal car, locked the door, and entered the station.

He went to the Homicide office first, obviously, because he was a Homicide officer, and saw the usual assortment of fellow detectives, Jim Pierson, Keith Robinson, and Captain Fletcher Hall. The captain was on the phone, and Jim was always busy, but Keith greeted him as he entered with a witty remark and a puff of smoke.

Sonny found a subpoena in his in-basket, which shocked him, because it said he was wanted to appear in court for a retrial with Jessie Bains! "I thought we were rid of him for good!"


	3. A Love Rediscovered

**_A Love Rediscovered_**

* * *

Keith voiced his agreement that Bains didn't deserve a retrial, after Sonny showed him the subpoena. Sonny unlocked and opened one of his desk drawers, which had his wallet and a "thank you" letter from Marie Wilkans on it.

Ah, Marie! It hadn't been easy for her, going through a few months of therapy to get over the bad effects of her life as a prostitute. But now, she felt a lot better, and she owed it all to Sonny. They had fallen in love all over again, and over the past year they had had an affair. Sonny and Marie felt so good together, and he would do anything to protect her.

He walked over to the bulletin board and saw that he was behind on his shooting scores. He also noticed a paper on the Captain's desk that had three passwords: MIAMI, ICECREAM, PISTACHIO. He decided to go to the shooting range, but first he wanted to check the files on the computer.


	4. Personal Files

**_Personal Files_**

* * *

On the Homicide computer, with the help of the passwords he discovered, Sonny read some criminal and personnel files, including those of the criminals who worked for Jessie Bains as well as Jessie Bains himself. He noticed that Laura Watts, his former Narcotics partner, was caught as the infamous "Gremlin" who had been antagonizing Sgt. Dooley with pranks. Very unusual for such a no-nonsense officer. She had written an apology and reprimand, and been transferred to the Burglary division.

Though privately amused by the pranks, Sonny was concerned that something worse could happen to Laura in the future. His friend, Jack Cobb, had already retired early to protect what was left of his family from getting involved in crime after losing Kathy Cobb to drugs. But wait a minute, Lloyd Pratt's file said that he consumed drugs while on-duty. Sonny decided to go and see him about this.


	5. A Favor for a Friend

**_A Favor for a Friend_**

* * *

Lloyd Pratt was another of Sonny's pals on the police force. Serving in the Narcotics division, he had performed several commendable actions, though he had also been insubordinate to his superiors once. But lately, some of the officers had noticed that he was spaced out, like he wasn't getting enough sleep. Sonny, too, was concerned about this, and he wanted to help.

In the Narcotics office, the detectives were all busy, though not too much to greet Sonny. Lloyd looked weary and tired, as usual, when Sonny went over to his desk. Sonny quietly talked to Lloyd about how Internal Affairs was looking into his actions, and begged him to stop consuming drugs on-duty. Surprisingly, Lloyd actually expressed immediate gratitude to Sonny, and promised to take a leave of absence until he could get the help he needed. Glad to be of help, Sonny went on to the locker room.


	6. Open Fire!

**_Open Fire!_**

* * *

Sonny went to the locker room. He went to his locker and opened it with the right combination, 36-4-12. He took his pistol, two ammo clips, and his handcuffs, and gave an appreciative look at a picture of Marie in a bikini from a beach vacation they took a while back. Then he closed the locker.

In the shooting range, Officer Ken Mills gave him ear protectors, and he went inside, aimed his gun at a target, and fired. When all his bullets were used up, he looked at the target close-up and found that it's aim was a little low and to the right of the center of the torso. He adjusted the sights on the pistol a little bit and reloaded, and then he shot at the target again. This time, his aim was perfect. Glad to see that, Sonny got two new ammo clips from Mills, returned the ear protectors, and left, going back to the Homicide office.


	7. Operation: Target

**_Operation: Target_**

* * *

On the way, Sonny picked up his trusty field kit, everything a detective needed to crack a case inside of it. He entered the office, and was greeted with shocking news from Captain Hall:

Jessie Bains had escaped Lytton City Jail! He had even taken one of the jailers hostage!

Hall assigned Sonny and Keith to Operation: Target, where they would investigate anything even remotely related to Bains. Sonny was ordered to get a mug shot of Bains and get on the case right away. So he rushed to a file cabinet, pulled out Bains' file, and took an old mug shot of him. Then he was on his way to his car, with Keith close behind. The field kit went in the trunk of the unmarked car, and they both got inside.


	8. Brooding While Driving

**_Brooding While Driving_**

* * *

Keith keyed Dispatch and told them that 53Mary2, their unit number, was 10-8 from the office, and was on its way to Lytton City Jail. Dispatch acknowledged this.

On the way, Keith commented on how this must be a real nightmare for Sonny, but an even worse nightmare for that poor correctional officer. Sonny agreed with both, and hoped that Keith would help out in any way he could. Keith promised this. "The shit has really hit the fan this time," Keith remarked. Just before reaching the jail, he said, "I sure hope that Bains lets that correctional officer go unhurt."

As they pulled into the underground parking lot, Keith radioed Dispatch again to let them know that 53Mary2 had arrived at jail.


	9. Detective Keith Robinson

**_Detective Keith Robinson_**

* * *

When they arrived, Keith suggested that Sonny go inside to handle the case while he stayed outside and had a smoke. Sonny agreed, but with a little reluctance.

Keith Robinson was an excellent detective, and a good friend. Sonny could count on him to help him out of most scrapes, and he always offered Sonny his sympathies when something bad happened. The only problem was that Keith was sometimes a little too relaxed, which some people might call lazy, and always obsessed over smoking two packs of cigarettes a day, on- or off-duty. Sonny was somewhat concerned about his health, but he supposed that if he couldn't convince Jack to cut back on his drinking, he couldn't do the same for Keith's smoking, either. He just hoped that Keith didn't get so relaxed that he forgot to defend Sonny at the wrong time.


	10. What Happened?

**_What Happened?_**

* * *

Sonny put his gun in the gun locker, pushed the buzzer, and showed his ID to the surveillance camera. The jailer let him inside. He was distressed because they never had an officer kidnapped before, and Luis Pate was just a rookie. He informed Sonny that an inmate named Sherman Saxton had witnessed the whole thing, and could tell him exactly what had happened.

So Sonny went to a barred window to talk to Saxton, who wanted to know if Sonny was there to get him out. Sonny said no, and interrogated him about what happened when Bains escaped. Saxton said that while Bains was being moved, he suddenly jumped Pate and held some kind of knife to his throat, and that made it easy for him to escape jail. Having said everything he knew, Saxton returned to his cell, while Sonny returned to the jailer's window.


	11. More Personal Files

**_More Personal Files_**

* * *

Next, Sonny asked him for Bains' and Luis Pate's files. The correctional officer commented that Bains' file was only fully compiled that morning, just before Bains escaped. Sonny read about Luis, and then about Bains, and he discovered that Bains' new mug shot looked different than the old one in that Bains had longer hair. He took the mug shot to use in place of the old one.

Finally, after returning the files, Sonny asked about the appearance of Luis' car, which the jailer told him Bains had escaped in. It was a blue 1986 Corvette with personalized plates saying WOW. Apparently, Luis' taste in cars was similar to Sonny's old preference before Marie convinced him to get a more "sensible," compact model. Thanking the jailer, Sonny went back outside to retrieve his gun and get going.


	12. New Course

**_New Course_**

* * *

Sonny and Keith had intended to return to the station, but suddenly the radio came alive with a report that Officer Haines had just discovered something at Oak Tree Mall related to Operation: Target's case, and that they were to report there immediately. So Sonny changed course while Keith relayed this to Dispatch.

On the way there, Keith made some idle remarks about how these latest police cars worked so terribly, claiming that his ten-speed bike could do a better job. Sonny, meanwhile, was more concerned with keeping an eye out for Luis' car, and he wondered if it had been found at the mall. Why else would they have been called there?

At last, they arrived.


	13. Dust for Fingerprints

**_Dust for Fingerprints_**

* * *

At the mall, they met Officer Calvin Haines, who informed them that there was a blue Corvette parked nearby that looked a lot like Pate's car. Keith offered to take a look around while Sonny scrounged for evidence.

Sonny took out his field kit and examined the car. It's front license plate said WOW, just like Luis' car, so it had to be his. Inside the car, Sonny dusted for fingerprints and found one good one on the glove box, which he lifted with some fingerprint tape. Then he opened the glove box and found inside: an empty holster, several bullets, and Luis Pate's vehicle registration, confirming that this car belonged to Luis. Sonny wondered if Bains now had Luis' gun, and what he intended to do with him next. He emerged from the car in time to see Haines return with a distressed woman by his side.


	14. Another Stolen Car

**_Another Stolen Car_**

* * *

Haines told Sonny that this woman also had her car stolen. She described it as a black Chevy station wagon, and she remembered part of its license number, C035. Haines said that he would handle the investigation at the mall from then on, and Sonny went back to his car, followed by Keith.

Once again, they were going to return to the station, but Dispatch gave them a call and told them to report to Cotton Cove park. A jogger had found evidence of foul play there, and Officer Mario Gelepsi was on the scene already. Keith relayed to Dispatch that they were on their way.

When they got there, sure enough, there was a frantic woman jogger there, along with Mario Gelepsi, an Italian immigrant who joined the police force.


	15. A Close Shave

**_A Close Shave_**

* * *

The jogger said fearfully that she had seen blood on the ground, along with drag marks that went into the river, and even some strange footprints. When something cracked in the brush, she called the police at once. Sonny calmed her down a little, and prepared himself for going into the unknown to look for Bains, with Keith nearby. They both loaded their guns and proceeded to go forward.

It was a good thing Sonny had improved his shooting skills, because all of a sudden, none other than Jessie Bains himself emerged from the trees and bushes and fired a gun at them. Sonny and Keith fired back. They all missed, but Sonny's and Keith's shots came close enough to Bains to make him run away. The former drug dealer made an escape in his stolen black station wagon, which, Sonny noticed, had C03 as part of its license number.


	16. A Vain Pursuit

**_A Vain Pursuit_**

* * *

When they returned to the police cars, the terrified jogger had ran away. Sonny and Keith decided to pursue Bains' even though it was very likely that he was long gone. Keith informed Dispatch of the situation, while Sonny searched the streets, looking for the scoundrel Death Angel.

They drove about for a while, but it eventually became obvious that Jessie Bains couldn't be found despite their best efforts. Captain Hall suddenly called over the radio and was filled in on the situation. He then instructed them to return to Cotton Cove and continue the investigation. So they did return, where Officer Gelepsi was waiting for them.


	17. Scrounge for More Evidence

**_Scrounge for More Evidence_**

* * *

Sonny walked along the path from their cars until he reached the spot where the path stopped in front of the trees. There indeed were suspicious-looking footprints on the ground, as well as some wet blood and drag marks into the river. He took some pictures of the scene with his little camera, used his eye dropper to collect a sample of blood, and used some powder to make a plaster cast out of one of the footprints. He also saw a garbage can nearby, and he looked in it for evidence, too. Buried underneath other garbage, he found what looked like a prison uniform with the name, J. Bains, sewn to it.

Evidently, Bains got rid of his prison clothes and took either Pate's clothes or someone else's. Sadly, it also looked like Luis might be dead, killed by Bains.


	18. Diving in the Darkness

**_Diving in the Darkness_**

* * *

Just then, Keith told Sonny that he had called for a scuba diver to help them with the investigation, and he had just arrived. The diver said he was the only diver available, and that he didn't like to dive alone, so did Sonny have a diver's pass so he could come along and help? Sonny showed him his scuba card from his wallet, and they both changed into wet suits, one at a time. Then they went to the water, and dove in.

Sonny found mostly old trash littering the river's bottom, but he eventually found some evidence. At one end of the area, he found a badge that might have belonged to Luis. At another, there was a spoon reshaped like a makeshift knife, like the one that Saxton had mentioned. Finally, near a strong current, he saw something fleshy stuck behind the rocks. He moved a few of them aside and pulled out the body of Luis Pate. He was quite dead.


	19. Pate's Fate

**_Pate's Fate_**

* * *

Officer Moore helped Sonny bring up Luis' half-naked body, where they discovered a bullet hole in Pate's head and several scratch marks from Bains' makeshift knife on his neck. Moore, the diver, said he'd stay with the body, so Sonny returned to Keith and Gelepsi. Gelepsi said he would handle the scene of the crime from then on, and Sonny and Keith prepared to leave, while Keith radioed Dispatch about all their findings at Cotton Cove.

Again, they elected to return to the police office, but a call came in yet again, saying that unit 53-10 was in pursuit of Bains, but had lost him in heavy traffic. He was able to discern, though, that the suspect was in the vicinity of Lytton Airport. They were ordered to proceed there immediately, which, of course, they did again.


	20. Still More Evidence

**_Still More Evidence_**

* * *

Lytton Airport was a recent addition to the city of Lytton. It had made the city even more famous among the cities of California. And this glamorous place was where Sonny and Keith found their next leads in the case against the Death Angel.

They found the black station wagon in the parking lot. Sonny investigated the vehicle's license plate, which said, C035609. That matched the car stolen at Oak Tree Mall. But there wasn't much evidence inside the car, except for one clean fingerprint on the rear view mirror, which he dusted and taped. He also checked out the VIN number. Then he and Keith relayed this information to Dispatch, and Keith waited for the tow truck while Sonny went inside to talk to the airport agents.


	21. Advice From Agents

**_Advice From Agents_**

* * *

After safely crossing the street, Sonny entered the airport terminal. He walked over to the ticket agents first and showed them his police ID. Then he showed off Bains' mug shot. The agent who was a woman said that she recognized the face, remembering that he had nervously bought a ticket for a flight to Houston under the name of Luis Pate. That flight had left approximately twenty minutes ago.

Thanking the agent, Sonny talked to the rental car agents next. One of them said she had rented a car out to a Luis Pate, and she described the car in detail. Bains was using Luis' identity to cover for himself. And he couldn't have done both of these things. Either he flew to Houston, or he rented a car and was still in town, or neither, but not both. Thanking the agents again, Sonny searched for more evidence.


	22. Guns and Roses

**_Guns and Roses_**

* * *

Sonny had one more place to check, and that was the bathroom, so he went in there. He looked around, and finding nothing standing out, chose to inspect the toilets. Inside the tank of the middle one, he found a familiar-looking pistol. It looked like the property of Luis Pate, based on what Sonny could remember from his file. Taking the gun out, he dried it under the hand dryer before taking it as evidence.

As he left the airport, a young woman selling flowers approached him. She asked if there was a flower or bouquet he wanted to get for his girlfriend. Sonny knew that Marie loved roses, so he bought one of them. The lady thanked him, and she was on her way, while he returned to his unmarked car to report in the evidence once more.


	23. Reminiscing

**_Reminiscing_**

* * *

Keith agreed with Sonny that they had collected enough evidence from their day's work to ultimately nail Bains for good. On the way back to the station, this time for real, they discussed how Bains couldn't be an ordinary human being, what with his ability to bury a body underwater without a gas tank and having such a callous disregard for life. Sonny even thought Bains might not be human at all, though rationalist Keith disagreed.

Keith commented on how the car smelled like a rose garden, and Sonny told him that he should understand what it was like to get a flower for his girlfriend, because Keith was a married man, after all. Finally, they pulled into the station's parking lot, and Keith went inside, followed by Sonny.


	24. Don't Spill the Bains

**_Don't Spill the Bains_**

* * *

First thing upon getting inside the station, Sonny dropped off every piece of evidence he had collected during his long search for Bains at the evidence window. He put away his field kit, and went to his office and his desk, where he found a note, saying that Marie had called while he was out and wanted to talk to him. He dialed Marie's number, and soon they were talking to each other.

Marie was glad to hear Sonny's voice, and hoped that he could put away Bains for good at his retrial. Sonny explained how Bains had escaped jail, and how he had been unable to capture him all day. Marie was quietly disturbed to hear that a deadly man she helped put in jail was on the loose, and scared, saying that she wouldn't stay home any longer, and she would meet Sonny at Arnie's for a little supper together. Regretting telling Marie so quickly about Bains' escape, he returned his unmarked car's keys to their peg and was given the rest of the day off by Captain Hall, who was busy eating some of his favorite ice cream.


	25. Arnie's

**_Arnie's_**

* * *

Arnie's was perhaps the best restaurant in all of Lytton, better even than Carol's Caffeine Castle and the Blue Room. It was so classy, and it served some of the best food, too, everything from roast pig and burgers, to meat loaf and lobster. It's curtains and napkins were linen and velvety, and it's tables were made of solid oak. Marie adored it, and Sonny had learned to love it, too.

Upon arrival in his "sensible," compact car, Sonny walked inside and soon saw Marie sitting alone at a table. Telling the waiter that he was with her, the waiter allowed Sonny to sit at her table. Marie, grateful to see him, said that she felt better than she had before, now that she was safe at Arnie's with Sonny. Sonny apologized for telling her about Bains when he wasn't with her, and she forgave him, giving him an irresistible kiss. Sonny loved it when she did that. He gave her the rose he bought for her, and she gave him another wonderful kiss.


	26. A Classy, Romantic Dinner

**_A Classy, Romantic Dinner_**

* * *

For dinner that night, Sonny and Marie both ordered the lobster. Marie loved to eat lobster, and Sonny thought their date would be a little more romantic if he had the same thing as her. As they settled in to eat and drink, Marie once again thanked Sonny heartily for saving her from the prison of prostitution. It made her so happy to have someone in her life who loved her and cared for her, and Sonny was perfectly happy to please her as well as to protect her. He reassured her that he would never let Jessie Bains or any other criminal bring harm or death to her, ever.

As they finished their food and Sonny got ready to pay for it, Marie laid his hand on her exposed leg and told him that she knew a place where they could really get romantic with each other. Sonny fondled her leg and grinned as she led him out of Arnie's.


	27. A Classy, Romantic Sleepover

**_A Classy, Romantic Sleepover_**

* * *

Sonny and Marie lay in each other's arms in Marie's bed. Sonny almost worshiped her graceful feminine form as she put her arms around him like twin moons, her breasts pushing on his chest, his hands stroking her bare back. He loved every inch of her body, but even more so, he loved her kindness, her strength, and her vulnerability. She was everything he wanted in a woman, while Marie, in turn, saw a strong man in Sonny, who was willing to stand up for himself and protect the woman he loved. She could never love anyone more.

In the morning, after a shower together, Marie prepared a breakfast of sunny-side-up eggs and bacon, and said that she felt a lot better and safer today, telling Sonny not to worry about her while he continued to search for Jessie Bains. They kissed once more, and Detective Bonds headed for work.


	28. Another Murder

**_Another Murder_**

* * *

At the office, Sonny quickly gathered up his equipment and did his rounds at the shooting range. Then he went to the Homicide office, where Captain Hall was waiting to greet him. He told Sonny that they had a 187 victim that he wanted Sonny and Keith to check out, and that the address was 160 West Rose.

Before going, Sonny took a quick look at his desk's inbox and saw a paper in it. It was the test results from the evidence he had collected from the search the day before. It said that the fingerprint from Luis Pate's car and the fingerprint from the car stolen from Oak Tree Mall both matched the fingerprints of Jessie Bains. It also identified the shoes which made those footprints at Cotton Cove as being size 10d, and new. It sounded like Bains might have stolen some new shoes. Wasting no more time, Sonny and Keith went out to their police car and got going.


	29. Another Tragedy

**_Another Tragedy_**

* * *

By the time they reached their destination, Keith had commented that after yesterday he was hoping for a slow day. Once again, the officer at the scene was Mario Gelepsi. He commented in his thickly accented voice that he encountered this parked vehicle while on patrol, and he noticed that there was blood dripping from it. The victim had taken a bullet in the back of the head, a very professional hit. He concluded the scene's introduction by saying that the car was registered to one Woody Roberts. Apparently, Keith was more squeamish about these kind of homicides than Sonny was, because Keith looked inside the car while Sonny inspected the trunk.

Sonny found a man's lifeless body inside the trunk, all right. He took a few pictures of the crime scene before disturbing it in any way. Then he examined the man's face. At first he wasn't sure, but suddenly he realized, "Wait! I know him. That's Woody Roberts!"


	30. Sayonara Woody

**_Sayonara Woody_**

* * *

First, Jessie Bains callously killed Sonny's friend, Luis Pate, and now, he had killed one of the people who had testified at his trial, and one who Sonny had rather liked, despite his being a criminal. Woody Roberts had been surprisingly likable for a hoodlum of the Death Angel, even though Sonny knew during his undercover operation that he couldn't let that distract him from his duty to stop Bains' illegal gambling and drug trafficking activities. He was even a gentleman with "Whitey" while frisking him near the back room.

Besides that, unlike most of Bains' other supporting co-workers, he seemed to have a genuine interest in repenting of his crimes, making Sonny and some of his fellow officers wonder if Woody had been coerced into crime rather than choosing it freely. But now, Woody had paid for his repentance with his life. Sonny started to feel an even stronger smattering of hate for Jessie Bains.


	31. A Chilling Threat

**_A Chilling Threat_**

* * *

After getting over his shock, Sonny took a sample of Woody's blood with his eye dropper, and after searching the body, he found a corner of an envelope that looked like it had been torn off the envelope. It was the return address, which had the name Bill Cole and the address 753 3rd Street. Perhaps something was sent in the mail to Woody, and it lured him to his killer. 753 3rd Street was the Snuggler's Inn, as well.

Just then, the coroner arrived. He cracked a few very bad jokes that Sonny didn't care for, and then he took away the body. Sonny was glad he didn't have to be around people like that all the time. He looked in the trunk once more, and found a note under where Woody's body had been. It said, "You're a DEAD man, Sonny Bonds!" It _had_ to be Bains. Evidently, the hatred was mutual.

He filled Keith in on everything he had discovered, and they drove on to investigate the crime further at the Snuggler's Inn.


	32. A Room at the Inn

**_A Room at the Inn_**

* * *

They soon arrived at the inn. First, Sonny walked up to the manager's window, showed him his ID, and asked him if he'd ever seen the face on Bains' mug shot. The manager said he remembered him as William Cole, and that he had checked into the inn in Room 108. Sonny returned to his car and called for a search warrant, which he knew he would need in order to have access to that room. He also called for backup, because the situation could be quite dangerous.

When the backup arrived, so did the warrant. Sonny showed it to the manager and asked permission to have access to Room 108. The manager lent him the spare key to the room. Then he wisely went to the side of the room's door instead of in front of it, drew his gun, and unlocked the door. A small explosion blew a hole in the door! Sonny was quite startled. The backup SWAT officers fired tear gas into the room. Sonny waited a few minutes for it to clear, and then he and Keith went inside.


	33. A Dish Best Served Cold

**_A Dish Best Served Cold_**

* * *

Just inside the door, there was a makeshift mechanism with a rope, a shotgun, and a few other things pointed at the door. The shotgun was smoking. Keith was first to figure out that it was Bains' trap for Sonny, and offered to have Burglary look into its origin. There was some wet blood on the floor. Sonny took a sample of it, thinking it could be Woody's blood. Inside a nightstand drawer, he found an envelope with a letter in it. The corner was torn off. Sonny compared it to the corner he had found with Woody, and they matched! The letter was addressed to Woodrow Roberts, and was apparently a false business deal Bains had made with Woody to lure him here and kill him.

A further search turned up a business card in the bathroom sink. It said "Colby Imports," and it had a phone number on it; as in _Donald Colby_, probably. Under the bed, Sonny even found a strangely familiar lipstick. It was one of Marie's favorites. Sonny began to have a bad feeling that Bains was on a revenge streak against all the people who helped put him in jail last year. That didn't bear thinking about!


	34. A Kidnapping Crisis

**_A Kidnapping Crisis_**

* * *

Letting the SWAT team take over the crime scene, Sonny opted to go to Marie's house and see if she was all right. Keith was sure she was fine, but agreed that they should proceed with caution. They took a quick drive to 222 West Peach Street, informing Dispatch of where they were going, parked, and got out of the car.

When he walked up to the front door, Sonny noticed a note attached to it. It was addressed to him. It read, in black ink, "Dear Sonny, gone shopping. Love, Marie." He thought there was something funny about the letter, though. He took another look at Marie's thank-you letter, which was written in red ink. Marie always preferred to write in red ink, not black. What's more, the handwriting on the note didn't match Marie's handwriting on the letter! Fearing something was seriously wrong, Sonny and Keith unlocked the door and went inside. The living room was a mess, with obvious signs of a struggle visible. There wasn't any blood anywhere, but it was still a mess.

_Jessie Bains had kidnapped Marie! OMG!_


	35. Hits From Hell

**_Hits From Hell_**

* * *

Doing his best to stay calm in the face of this tragedy, Sonny told Keith to check the back of the house, while he searched the living room. Keith offered his sympathies to Sonny before disappearing down the hall. Sonny saw that the phone had been ripped from the wall and was lying on the couch. Evidently, Marie had tried to call the police, but Bains stopped her from doing it. On the floor nearby was a broken lamp and an ashtray. Strange, thought Sonny, Marie doesn't smoke. But instead of the remains of cigarettes, a partially burned piece of paper was in the ashtray.

He retrieved it and read it. The following names were listed on it: Woody Roberts, Marie Wilkans, Don Colby, Sonny Bonds, Laura Watts, James Morgan, Detectives Angland, Anglin, and Smith, and Kim Palmer. There was a checkmark next to Woody's name. This was obviously his hit list, and each person on it was a target for having contributed to ending his gambling and drug dealing business and landing him in prison.


	36. Putting Some Pieces Together

**_Putting Some Pieces Together_**

* * *

Keith returned from the back of the house and reported that he had found nothing, except that Marie's car was missing from the garage. Sonny showed him the hit list. They agreed that Bains had to be tracked down before he could kill any more of his targets, especially Marie. At first, they weren't sure where Bains could have gone, but then, Sonny looked at Colby's business card again. It said that Colby Imports was located in Steelton, NM, not too far from Lytton. They deduced that Bains had also stolen Marie's car with her as his hostage, and was driving to Steelton so he could kill Colby and possibly lure Sonny into a trap where he, too, would be killed.

Keith said they could get there in time to stop Bains if they took a flight to Steelton that very day. Sonny said he would talk to Captain Hall about it, but first, he had to return to the office to tie up some loose ends.


	37. Tying Up Loose Ends

**_Tying Up Loose Ends_**

* * *

On the drive back to the station, Keith radioed Dispatch and Captain Hall about the bad news concerning Marie. Then he tried to cheer Sonny up by saying, "We'll get her back, Sonny." Sonny hoped he was right.

At the station, while Keith went to the Homicide office to do some paperwork, Sonny dropped off all the evidence in the Bains case at the evidence window. Next, he went to the Burglary office, where several detectives were at their desks doing their work. Among them was James Simpson, another friend of Sonny's, and asked him about the shotgun found in the Snuggler's Inn where Woody Roberts had died. James reported that there was a burglary from a certain pawn shop, from which this shotgun, another one, a silencer, and some ammo were stolen. And the prints on the shotgun matched Bains' fingerprints. Next, Sonny practiced his shooting skills at the firing range again, and then he went to the Homicide office.


	38. Phone Calls

**_Phone Calls_**

* * *

Fletcher Hall voiced his own sympathies for Marie to Sonny when the latter entered the office. Sonny explained to Hall about his belief that Bains was taking Marie to Steelton, and that he and Keith planned to catch a flight to that city in an attempt to stop him. Hall approved of this plan, and said they could get going as soon as they were ready.

Sonny had a couple of phone calls to make before leaving. First, he called Don Colby and warned him about Bains. Colby wasn't very fond of Bonds, and merely said that he was under a witness protection program, so he wasn't worried. Second, after looking up their number through 411, he called the Steelton Police Department. He told them about Bains, and his up-coming flight there, and asked them to page Colby's phone for his protection. One Lieutenant Miller agreed to this.

With all the loose ends tied up, Sonny and Keith were on their way to Lytton Airport once more.


	39. Getting the Tickets

**_Getting the Tickets_**

* * *

At the airport, Sonny and Keith crossed the street safely and went inside. Keith joked about forgetting his toothbrush.

At the ticket desk inside, Sonny requested two tickets to Steelton, which the clerk said would cost $160.00. Sonny knew his wallet didn't have _nearly_ that much cash in it, but Keith came to the rescue. He flashed his badge at the clerk and asked to use his telephone. Then Keith called the office and asked Captain Hall to make the department pay for their tickets. Sonny spent some of this time trying to piece together the clues a little bit more.

Keith announced that Hall would pay for their tickets, and Sonny was able to get the tickets they needed. The clerk directed them to an escalator that would take them to the gate to the next flight to Steelton, and they were on their way.


	40. Off to Steelton

**_Off to Steelton_**

* * *

At the gate, Sonny and Keith showed the guard their badges so that they could take their guns on-board the plane. Inside, the stewardess welcomed them to Iguana Airlines and invited them to sit in two empty seats in the front. They did so, and they fastened their seat belts as the captain requested the passengers to do. Soon the plane was speeding down the runway, then ascending, then leveling out, and finally cruising at an altitude of 25,000 feet.

Keith was a little disappointed that smoking was no longer allowed on airliners, but Sonny was more concerned about Marie. He was afraid that he might never be able to enjoy another night with her like the previous night. The stewardess came back and offered them free drinks. Keith asked for a soda, to "drown his smoking withdrawal," as he called it. Sonny asked for a cup of water, and he refreshed himself with it while thinking about how he was going to teach Jessie Bains a lesson he would never forget, or maybe even, never remember.


	41. Hijacked!

**_Hijacked!_**

* * *

The flight went on for a little less than an hour. Before they made it to Steelton, however, suddenly, two strange men in turbans strode to the front of the plane and took the stewardess hostage! One went into the cockpit and took control, while the other shouted that they were taking control of the plane in the name of "The Sheik of the Golden Sands," and were taking it to Egypt!

"Absurd!" Sonny thought. "I have to stop Bains and save Marie, and a couple of Arabs want to disrupt my mission! I won't tolerate it, or their terrorizing these innocent passengers!" As the stewardess fell out of the hijacker's grip, Sonny and Keith rose from their seats, drew their guns, and shot down the first hijacker. The second hijacker burst out of the cabin door, but the boys in blue shot him down too. Everything seemed safe then, but one of the hijackers said with his dying breath that they had activated a bomb within the plane, and he was taking them all with him!


	42. Finding a Bomb

**_Finding a Bomb_**

* * *

The passengers were scared to hear this news, to say the least. The stewardess got up, thanked the cops for saving her from the crazed hijackers, and went to the flight cabin. Sonny and Keith both knew that that bomb must be found soon or the flight and everyone on it were doomed! Keith offered to look around in the cockpit, while Sonny searched the rest of the plane.

Sonny searched the dead hijackers and found: a pair of wire clippers, and a guide on how to "BUILD YOUR OWN BOMB." The bomb itself wasn't on them, though, so he decided to look for it in the bathroom, which was, in fact, where the men last came from. The sink just had dripping water. The trash had nothing interesting in it. The toilet had the usual remains of urine and feces. However, the hand towel dispenser, when he opened it, was revealed to be holding the bomb, whose timer was running out!


	43. Backwards Helps

**_Backwards Helps_**

* * *

It was a dynamite-style bomb at first glance, but it had numerous colored wires connected in certain ways, operating it and its timer. Sonny took a quick read of the instructions, and discovered how connecting and disconnecting the wires in a certain order activated the bomb. Not having much time to think, he deduced that he should follow the instructions in reverse order to disarm the bomb, only by mostly disconnecting the wires.

Following the instructions carefully, he first cut the yellow wire. Then he cut the blue wire, and then the purple wire. Next he reconnected the yellow wire, and cut the white wire. He managed to do all this with as little trembling as possible. Finally, with trepidation, he cut the yellow wire again. The bomb was deactivated, with thirty seconds to spare! Relieved, Sonny reported this to the passengers, and they all cheered. Keith congratulated him, too. The captain directed them back to their seats because they were about to land in Steelton Airport.


	44. Sky Marshal Owens

**_Sky Marshal Owens_**

* * *

When the plane landed at Steelton Airport, a Sky Marshal who worked at the airport was called to check out the incident. Marshal Owens made a funny wisecrack when he saw the dead bodies of the two hijackers. Sonny quickly explained everything that had happened truthfully, told him where he had found the bomb, and showed the wire clippers and instructions for making a bomb as evidence.

Owens, relieved that no one was hurt, commended Sonny and Keith for their bravery in the face of grave danger, and said that he would take care of cleaning up the mess from that point on. He also told them that the Steelton Police Department had sent a helicopter to give them a quick ride to the station. Sonny and Keith thanked the Marshal, and soon they were on their way. Officer Jarvis Pittman met them at the airport and said he had provided them with transportation to the Police Department.


	45. The Helicopter Ride

**_The Helicopter Ride_**

* * *

The helicopter was already waiting for them when they got to the airport's helipad. After they got inside, the pilot took off and flew them straight to the SPD. Well, more or less straight, because the pilot evidently wanted to take them for a joy ride. He made some pretty fancy moves, flying the chopper around skyscrapers and up and down in the air like it was a fighter jet and he was a hotshot show-off pilot. Keith was quite disturbed by the flight, but pretended to be enjoying himself, whooping and hollering in his seat as they swerved and dived. Sonny tried to ignore his comical cracks and just held fast to his seat as they flew on.

At last, they made it to their destination. Sonny sarcastically thanked the pilot for the joy ride as they exited the chopper, and as they entered the station, Keith hoped out loud that they could do that again sometime.


	46. Sayonara Don

**_Sayonara Don_**

* * *

Sonny and Keith walked to the Homicide office and knocked on the lieutenant's door. He said, "Come on in." Inside, Lieutenant "Wild Willy" greeted them and remarked that Jessie Bains' handiwork had already started in Steelton, too. They had set a tap on Don Colby's phone, like Sonny had asked them to, and had even sent an officer over to his house to check on him. Unfortunately, they found him lying deader than a doornail with a .32 caliber handgun bullet wound in the back of his skull. Sonny felt a little sad for Colby, but he _had_ given him fair warning, and Colby had dismissed it.

Bains had also made a threatening phone call to the police station after Colby's corpse was discovered. They had traced it to Burt Park. Willy wasn't sure if Bains was still there or not, but after commenting on what a character Bains was, he instructed Sonny and Keith to investigate it, because it was their best lead.


	47. More Danger

**_More Danger_**

* * *

Before leaving Willy Miller's office, Sonny asked permission for him and Keith to use a couple of walkie-talkies set out on a small table in the office. Willy gave them said permission, saying that he left them out specifically for them. After a quick thanks, Sonny and Keith met with Jarvis Pittman again, and the annoyingly talkative Steelton officer drove them to Burt Park.

At the park, Pittman finally started to say things Sonny and Keith were interested in. He led them to the entrance to Burt Park and wished them good luck. Suddenly, he got a call from Dispatch, telling him to respond to a crime somewhere else in the city. Before he left, he pointed out the phone booth they identified as the one Bains used to make the call. When he was gone, Keith suggested to Sonny that they split up to cover more ground and stand a better chance of finding another lead. Sonny agreed to that.


	48. Trouble in Burt Park

**_Trouble in Burt Park_**

* * *

Sonny had to admit Burt Park was very attractive, the ideal place for citizens who loved nature. That made it an excellent place to get away from all the steel buildings in Steelton. The park had beautiful trees, a lawn of neatly mowed grass, and bushes to go with them. But he knew that as lovely as it was, it was dangerous for the present because Bains might still be in the area, so he stayed alert.

After checking the phone booth for evidence, and finding nothing, he went deeper into the park. A sweet-looking bird bath/fountain decorated the rear of the entrance. Farther in, a serene pond was glittering in the sunlight, and several ducks swam in it cheerfully. They looked like they were ready to eat out of a person's hand. Sonny was almost too distracted by the beauty, but he was still alert enough to sense that someone was running toward him. Expecting Bains, he turned around, only to find his stalker was a mohawked punk dressed in black.


	49. Keith Saves His Partner

**_Keith Saves His Partner_**

* * *

The young troublemaker ran up to Sonny and demanded his wallet, or else. Sonny, however, was prepared for this. He flashed his badge, letting the kid know he was a cop, and whipped out his walkie-talkie, calling Keith for assistance. The startled punk attempted to run away. But a minute or so after he left Sonny, he was brought back in handcuffs by Sonny's partner, Keith. Although Keith wasn't actually a great deal older than Sonny, he huffed and puffed that he was "getting too old for this."

Sonny questioned the punk about the activity in the park and the possible presence of Bains, but initially, he wouldn't say anything. After some more forceful questioning, though, he admitted that he recently saw a really mean-looking man in the park, and that he had gone into the sewer system underground. Keith told Sonny he already read the kid his rights, and offered to take him to the Steelton PD while Sonny continued his search for Bains and Marie.


	50. After the Rat Man

**_After the Rat Man_**

* * *

After Keith and the punk had left, Sonny began to search the park again. For a few minutes, he continued to see only more natural beauty. Then, in the eastern section of the park, he found a manhole in the ground. It looked like it had been used recently. Believing he was on the right trail, Sonny lifted the manhole cover, and then he proceeded to climb down the ladder carefully.

At the bottom, he indeed did find himself in part of the Steelton sewer system. Needless to say, it stank down there. A distinct contrast to the park above ground. But Sonny knew he had to tolerate it for a little while if he was to find Marie and Bains. So he put a hand over his nose and began to walk carefully along the metal walkways by the walls, avoiding falling into the sewage flowing between the walkways.


	51. There Be Rats Here!

**_There Be Rats Here!_**

* * *

The sewer system was literally a maze of pathways. Fortunately, it wasn't especially elaborate, but rather simple, and it didn't take Sonny long to figure out where to go. On his way, he encountered a patch of methane gas, but he managed to get through it before it could poison him. Against one wall, there was a cabinet, and inside was a gas mask. He took it, thinking it would be useful if he ran into another patch of methane. Indeed he did, and the mask helped him get through it alive.

At one point, Sonny had found a dead man's body in a sewer uniform. Some hungry rats had eaten part of his face. "More of Bains' handiwork" was Sonny's sad thought. He continued to walk the walkways carefully, until he came across a closed door in another wall to the south. It looked like the door to the control room. It was worth investigating, he thought, and he went inside with trepidation...


	52. My Hero!

**_My Hero!_**

* * *

Inside was indeed the control room, and amidst all the pipes, flashing lights and computers, one thing caught Sonny's eye: Marie Wilkans! She was bound and gagged in a chair in the corner of the room. She was struggling to get free, and trying to scream through her gag. Sonny hurried over to her and calmed her down, and then he quickly untied her and pulled off her gag.

Marie, needless to say, was both overjoyed and scared to see Sonny again. She cried about Bains' cold-blooded slaughter of the poor sewer maintenance worker Sonny had found. He had begged to see his family one more time, but Bains just laughed and shot him! Sonny held her tight, until they heard footsteps outside the control room. Sonny told Marie to sit, and she sat. Then he drew his gun, made sure it was loaded, and took cover behind a large, vertical pipe by the opposite wall.


	53. The Death of an Angel

**_The Death of an Angel_**

* * *

In a few moments, the door opened again and Jessie Bains stepped inside. He was suspicious when he saw Marie's ropes untied, and sneered at her. She was terrified. But Sonny was ready to stop him. _This is for Luis Pate. This is for Woody Roberts and Don Colby, and even Jason Taselli. This is for that maintenance man. This is for everybody who suffered because of your drug dealing. Most of all, this is for Marie, my love!_

Bains saw Sonny move slightly behind the pipe and opened fire, trying to kill him as he had intended. Sonny returned fire immediately. But Sonny was madder than Bains this time, his finger was faster on the trigger, and he had cover while Bains stood out in the open. In less than ten seconds, Bains was lying motionless on the floor, his chest bleeding. Sonny checked his vitals and found nothing. He was dead. The vile criminal career of the Death Angel was finally silenced.

"You have the right to remain silent."


	54. Was it Justified?

**_Was it Justified?_**

* * *

After Sonny, Marie, and Keith returned to Lytton, Sonny was put on a three-day administrative leave while Internal Affairs investigated the details of Sonny's fatal shooting of Jessie Bains. During this time, he spent some leisure time with Marie, taking her to Arnie's again, making love to her, and anything else that would help the two of them cope with Sonny's actions in Steelton.

Finally, IA had their reports ready. Jessie Bains had opened fire on Officer Sonny Bonds first with the intent to commit murder. Sonny was found to have killed Bains in self-defense while in fear for his own life and while protecting the life of Marie Wilkans, due to him having opened fire _after_ Bains. In the end, Sonny's shooting death of Jessie Hiram Bains was found to be perfectly legal and justifiable. Sonny's leave of absence was ended, and he was to return to active duty.


	55. Let's Go To Vegas!

**_Let's Go To Vegas!_**

* * *

Sonny had two rewards prepared for him as well for his heroism. He was to receive the "Silver Commendation Award" for his outstanding effort in the face of grave danger while opposing the Death Angel. And he was given a two-week "rest and relaxation" period before returning to duty, during which he had the option of spending time with Marie again.

A three piece band played celebratory music as Captain Hall presented the Silver Commendation Award to Sonny. Marie stood proudly by Sonny's side as the band played on. A plane was nearby waiting to whisk them off to a vacation of fun, games, and relaxation in Las Vegas. Keith promised to give up smoking by the time Sonny and Marie got back home, but Sonny didn't believe him. Typical of a chain smoker. Captain Hall kept obsessively eating his ice cream until, finally, he paused long enough to conclude the ceremony, and Sonny and Marie were on their way.


	56. A Tropicana Proposal

**_A Tropicana Proposal_**

* * *

"You'll love Vegas, Marie," Sonny said to Marie as their plane took off into the sunrise. "The gambling is legal, and there are some great sights to see, on and off the Strip."

"I know, Sonny," said Marie, "I was thinking of booking us into the Tropicana Hotel/Casino. It's as beautiful as the Bahamas with all it's trees, it's elegance, and most of all, it's swimming pools. I'd love to play at one of the swim-up Blackjack tables; I feel so much better playing games in a swimsuit than in a tight dress."

"I know the feeling," said Sonny, his eyes twinkling. As he looked at his high school sweetheart, Marie Wilkans, he had a sudden desire to become as protective and close to her as he could, while leaving her some space, of course. "Marie," he asked warmly, "Will you marry me?"

Marie's eyes shone. "YES!" They kissed romantically and passionately. And a few hours later, the Las Vegas Strip would boast for two weeks the happiest couple in western America.

**THE END**


End file.
